The Morning After: Making Corporate Mergers Work After the Deal Is Sealed

by Stephen Wall, Shannon Wall

At the dawn of the twenty-first century, the corporate marriage frenzy had reached fever the spectacular announcement of the AOL-TimeWarner merger was only the latest in a series of high-profile deals--from Daimler-Chrysler to Citicorp-Travelers--with a total value exceeding two trillion dollars. This phenomenon is not a flash in the pan; today's business environment requires that companies go outside their boundaries to gain access to the resources and expertise that will allow them to compete effectively and increase the value of the enterprise. But after the ink is dry, most experiments in corporate acquisition fail to live up to expectations. In The Morning After , Stephen and Shannon Rye Wall examine dozens of cases to identify the seven common warning signs that an acquisition is in danger and outline practical strategies for making corporate marriages successful in the long run. From pre-merger planning to launching the integration process to defining new roles for executives and managers, The Morning After offers a wealth of concrete tools for leading and sustaining successful collaborations.

230 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2000

About the author

Stephen Wall worked in the British Diplomatic Service. He was Private Secretary to five Foreign Secretaries and to Prime Minister John Major, Britain’s Ambassador to the European Union and Tony Blair’s adviser on European issues. His book A Stranger in Europe was published in 2008.